Young Jamaican girl sporting a Respect Jamaica t-shirt. Photo courtesy Respect Jamaica, used with permission. You may know that Jamaica boasts the fastest man in the world, has an international reputation for being homophobic and was the first Caribbean nation to decriminalise marijuana for personal use, but if you've never heard about Respect Jamaica, you're missing out on one of the most game-changing movements on the island. An anti-discrimination initiative that promotes the inclusion of all people regardless of racial identity, religion, class, sexual orientation, age, political affiliation or special needs, Respect Jamaica has attracted the support of several high-profile companies, as well as the government. In fact, in support of the national development plan, Vision 2030, Respect Jamaica has been calling on citizens to stand in support of the marginalised and vulnerable to bring about genuine nation building. One project that brought to light some of the issues Jamaica is grappling with was the Privilege Walk — Respect Jamaica's version of the fairly common social experiment born out of from Peggy McIntosh’s article, White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack. Global Voices spoke with Respect Jamaica's activation specialist, Jordanne Edwards, who told us more about the organisation, what it is hoping to accomplish and what the Privilege Walk revealed. Global Voices (GV): What sort of work does Respect Jamaica do, and why was it necessary to have this type of initiative? Jordanne Edwards of the NGO Respect Jamaica. Photo courtesy the subject, used with permission. Jordanne Edwards (JE): We believe that everyone, no matter who they are, is deserving of respect. Our island home, the land we live in, must also be given due consideration. It is what we depend on for our most basic needs — food, water, and shelter. We must, therefore, have respect for the environment, as it is an essential part of our vision for Jamaica. Our work centres around social media: establishing a digital platform that creates a social movement, channeling the programme’s message, corporate engagement (getting corporate support to build the programmes and influence the message — and practice — of equality, inclusion and youth engagement), and empowering, challenging and mobilising young Jamaicans to become social advocates. This is necessary in changing the course [of] human rights development in Jamaica. Respect Jamaica volunteers at the Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica 2015 coastal clean up. Photo courtesy Respect Jamaica, used with permission. GV: The organisation has been vocal on everything from domestic and sexual violence to the rights of the LGBT and differently abled communities. What is your ultimate goal? JE: Yes, we focus on a number of human rights issues. Our ultimate goal is to foster a culture of equality and social inclusion in Jamaica. GV: How difficult are some of these issues to talk about — especially within the social, cultural, religious and political context of Caribbean societies? JE: As with any programmes tackling behavioural change, it can be challenging to have open, authentic and healthy discussions around social issues, particularly those that have been considered taboo. Our culture is critically informed by religious beliefs (particularly those relating to Christianity), and general socialisation from family, media and peers. Our beliefs and experiences are, understandably, very personal to us. It is what helps to build our identity, so you will find that people become defensive when confronted with issues that challenge their perceptions. For example, sexual orientation, race and class, gender roles and identity and political affiliation can be difficult conversations to have. Talking about gender-based violence (GBV) can be hard — approximately one in three women have been abused in Jamaica — and so sometimes, when we are having conversations about GBV, we have to recognise the sensitivity behind it. Some of Respect Jamaica's youth ambassadors. Photo courtesy Respect Jamaica, used with permission. GV: What does a respectful Jamaica look like and how far away is it from the current reality? JE: A respectful Jamaica looks harmonious, productive and vibrant. It’s from the little things like having basic manners — saying ‘good morning’, acknowledging someone else’s presence — to the bigger things like having better infrastructure in place for people with special needs to have equal access to goods and services, to serious measures being taken to address climate change.